Alexander Disher, 32, died Tuesday at a construction site near the Colorado Springs Airport.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A 32-year-old crane operator was killed Tuesday morning at a construction site near the Colorado Springs Airport after firefighters found him trapped inside equipment at Peak Innovation Park, authorities said.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office identified the worker as Alexander Disher. The death is under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is examining what happened at the site and whether equipment failure played a role. Fire officials said no one else was hurt, and one local report said the crane did not collapse. The cause and manner of Disher’s death had not been publicly released as of Saturday.
Colorado Springs firefighters were called about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday to a technical rescue at Peak Innovation Park, a business park near the airport. The reported scene was near Embraer Heights and Bud Breckner Boulevard, where crews found Disher trapped in the equipment. Firefighters declared him dead at the scene, then worked for hours to recover his body. The department said a heavy rescue unit helped with the recovery, which was completed at about 2 p.m. “We want to extend our deepest condolences. These are never easy,” Ashley Franco, with the Colorado Springs Fire Department, said. “And it’s never easy for us either to go out here and respond to a call like this with one of our community members.”
The accident happened at the Forge at Peak Innovation Park construction site, according to local reporting. The project developer, Opus, said in a statement that a contracted construction worker died after an accident at its Colorado Springs job site. “Safety is a top priority at Opus, and we are cooperating fully with all investigating authorities,” the company said. Public reports did not identify Disher’s direct employer or describe the exact task he was performing when the entrapment occurred. Officials also had not released a detailed mechanical explanation of how he became trapped inside the equipment.
Peak Innovation Park is a growing commercial area tied to development around the Colorado Springs Airport. The incident brought a large emergency response to the site, including firefighters trained for technical rescue and equipment recovery. Such calls can require crews to stabilize heavy machinery, protect responders from shifting loads and remove a victim without creating more danger at the scene. In this case, fire officials said the recovery took several hours. OSHA investigators were at the site after the incident, and the agency has up to six months to complete a workplace fatality investigation.
Disher’s death also brought public tributes from relatives and friends, who described him as a devoted husband, father and friend. His wife, Brandy Disher, said in a statement shared with KRDO that Alex was “the love of my life, my best friend, my whole world.” She said he worked hard so she could be a stay-at-home mother and was always trying to make his family smile. Friends said he was funny, generous and quick to help others. Tera Hill, a family friend, said Disher was “one of the kindest people” she had known and could be called for help at any time.
Fundraisers created after the accident said Disher left behind Brandy and three children, Hudson, Aspen and Gunnison. One GoFundMe page organized by Amber Arce and Hill said Disher was the family’s primary provider and that donations would help with funeral costs, household bills, daily living expenses and support for the children. The page had raised more than $29,000 toward a $30,000 goal as of Saturday. A separate fundraiser organized by Christina Fischer also described Disher as a family man with a goofy personality who gave freely to others.
No charges had been announced in the case as of Saturday. The next public steps are expected to include the coroner’s findings on the cause and manner of death and any results from OSHA’s workplace investigation. Fire officials have not reported additional injuries from the construction site incident.
Author note: Last updated May 2, 2026.